Photo radar comes to province

It's one photo you don't want to be in, and the Government of Saskatchewan doesn't want to see you in.

Photo radar will be in place and operational in random highway work zones throughout the province, taking photos of vehicle license plates of drivers observed exceeding the speed limit of 60 km/hr.

"Our only goal here is to motivate drivers to obey the law, which will ultimately make the work zone safer and potentially save the life of a worker or motorist," Prince Albert-Carlton MLA and Chair of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee Darryl Hickie said on behalf of Minister responsible for Highways and Infrastructure Don McMorris. "If we don't collect one dime of revenue from photo enforcement, that's a good thing - it means people are doing what they're supposed to."

Photo radar will be set up in random highway work zones throughout the province with locations changing periodically and as needed. This means photo enforcement could be set up in any work zone at any time. Where the automated speed equipment is present, photos will be taken of the license plates of vehicles driving faster than 60 km/hr. Tickets will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Previously, fines for speeding in the work zone started at $140 and increased by $2-$4 for every km/h over the speed limit. Now, the base fine is $210 and will increase by $3-$6 per km/h over the speed limit. Also included in the fine is a victim's surcharge which increases in severity by speed. For a driver who speeds through a work zone at just 70 km/hr, this would result in a total fine of $300. At 100 km/hr, this would result in a total fine of $530.

The RCMP will verify and determine if there is enough evidence to issue a ticket in each instance.

Since the death of flag person Ashley Richards in August 2012, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, Ministry of Justice, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, RCMP, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and other partners have been working together to improve safety in work zones.